Come Hell or High Water

by Nancy M Bell

  “Not likely to forget something like that. I gotta go we’re ready to load up. I’ll call you tomorrow and let you know when we get there. Doc should have some barn access passes.”

  “Yeah, Mary and him are both planning to come up with me. I think Mary’s just about as excited about you riding as you are.”

  “That’s awesome! I can’t wait to see all of you. Bye, sweetie. Love you.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Calgary! Michelle bounced on the seat as Rolly drove into the barn area and stopped by the shedrow where his stalls were located. The place was crawling with other drivers coming and going. Horses whinnied and kicked at their stalls. The rattle and clang of buckets and other gear made a merry undernote to the cacophony of kids running around playing, horses stamping and people shouting to each other.

  It wasn’t raining at the moment but the ground was still wet from the overnight storm and the clouds hugged the earth hiding the tall buildings of the downtown core. She jumped down and set about readying the stalls. Piling a deep bed of straw into each stall, she distributed water and feed buckets before putting flakes of hay into hay nets and hanging them safely in each horse’s stall. Clay and Hal showed up along with Rolly’s mom and dad. Sharon, his long suffering girlfriend poked her head in the door as Michelle fastened the hay net in the last stall.

  “Hey, Michelle. That man of mine got you working like a slave?”

  “Hi Sharon! You get that RV parked in a good spot? How was the drive down?” Michelle stepped out of the stall and hugged her.

  “It was okay. Had to stop by the office. It’s has been busy while I was up at Ponoka. But, with the drop in oil though things are really starting to slow down. Things aren’t looking good for the oil patch.”

  “That sucks. When the oil stops so does everything else.” Michelle frowned.

  Rolly grabbed Sharon around the waist from behind and swung her off her feet. She squealed in surprise and kissed him soundly when he set her on her feet.

  “Get a room,” Clay heckled them as he walked by pushing the cart loaded with hay bales toward the feed stall.

  “You guys got this under control? I’m taking my girl somewhere we can have a little privacy,” Rolly announced. He kept his arm firmly around Sharon’s waist.

  “Sure, go on, get out of here.” Hal shooed the couple on their way.

  With the efficiency of long practice the horses were soon settled in their stalls and the equipment stowed. Clay and Hal disappeared to renew old acquaintances they hadn’t seen for a while. Michelle was at loose ends after they’d gone. She double checked things were in order and then wandered down to visit with some of the other outfits families. One of the Harder girls suggested taking a look at the midway and seeing if the concessions were open yet.

  Thursday night before Stampede officially opened with the Friday morning parade, the grounds were opened for Sneak-A-Peek. If they hurried they could get a good look before the public crowded in. The group of them cut across the barns and out the tunnel that ran under the track. Michelle joined in their high-spirited fun, joking about this year’s new midway food options. Deep fried chocolate covered pickles, deep fried Mars bars, deep fried bacon wrapped around anything you could think of on a stick, peanut butter and jelly kabobs. Michelle stopped and gapped at the sign proclaiming Dragon Dog, you gotta try it. $100.00.

  “Are they kidding? A hundred bucks for a hot dog?” Michelle shook her head. “I seriously can’t believe anyone would pay that.”

  “Somebody will,” Karen Harder assured her. “Some of those big corporate guys trying to impress their buddies.”

  “I suppose.” Michelle was still sceptical.

  “Look, a cactus burger. I wanna try one of those.” Eva Braithwaite pointed at a food booth further down the fast food alley.

  ”Jalapeno poutine mini donut bowl?” Sara was incredulous. “Gross, there are some things you just shouldn’t mess with. Like mini donuts.”

  “Too true,” Michelle agreed.

  When the stands opened and people started filtering in through the gates the girls ate their fill. Michelle wandered back to the barns with a candy apple in jacket pocket holding a cone of candy floss. She pulled bits of it off as she walked. The stuff was pure sugar but it just wasn’t Stampede without candy apples, candy floss and sno-cones. The group split up, most of the younger kids headed to the rides on the midway. Michelle continued on the barns with the rest of the group which consisted mostly of wives and the kids too young to running around on their own.

  Cale was on call so she wouldn’t see him until Monday at the earliest. She contented herself with calling him. It was good to hear his voice and know he was so close. Spud was doing well, but it looked like the surgery might be necessary after all. Doc was behaving more or less and couldn’t wait to get to Calgary and hob knob with his cronies at the barns. Mary was threatening to hog tie him if he insisted on crawling all over the chutes during the afternoon performance. The older couple might try to make it up for the Sunday rodeo and chucks, according to Cale Mary was attempting to plan a romantic getaway. She’d booked a room at the Palliser Hotel without telling her husband.

  “Just because there’s snow on the roof doesn’t mean there’s no fire in the furnace,” Michelle joked trotting out one of Grampa’s favorite sayings. She giggled remembering him chasing Gramma around the kitchen table.

  “Too much information, Chelly.” Cale laughed too.

  The long prairie twilight was darkening into true night. Lights shone warmly along the barns and laughter and conversation sounded softly in the dark. The grandstand was dark and empty, the crew was working on setting up the big stage and assembling the wings and other props for the Grandstand Show that ran every night after the wagon races. Behind the bulk of the buildings the lights of the midway shone garishly. The sky was still cloudy but the tall buildings in the downtown glittered faintly in comparison to the neon closer to hand. Red and white lights illuminated the Calgary Tower on Ninth Avenue.

  Rolly and the boys were nowhere in sight when she reached the barn. After filling the water buckets and spending a few minutes with each of the horses checking they were comfortable and set for the night, Michelle wended her way toward the RV campground by the Elbow River behind the Saddledome. She passed Rolly’s rig without pausing. If she knew the little cowboy as well as she thought she did Karen and him wouldn’t appreciate her company. She continued on to the RV Clay and Hal shared. There was an extra bunk she could use anytime she wanted. Cale would be happier knowing she wasn’t bedded down in the barn.

  A group was gathered around a fire pit by the rig next door. They called for her to join them which she did. It was nice to be part of the familiar comradery of the wagon community. The sport had a long tradition with deep roots. Most of the drivers were related in some way or another, either by marriage or family ties. She settled back with a beer in hand and let the laughter and good natured ribbing wash over her.

  * * *

  The first two nights of the show went well. The weather held and the track was fast. Rolly’s horses ran well and he was just out of the top eight coming into the fourth night of racing. The jitters Michelle had fought with the first few nights were easing off as she gained confidence. Rob was competing in the bull riding and she ran into Kayla back at the barns. The woman looked lost and out of place.

  “Hey, Kayla,” she greeted her.

  “Michelle! Am I ever glad to see you.” The woman seized her arm.

  “What’s wrong?” Apprehension twisted her stomach. “Are you okay? Did Rob have a wreck?” She hadn’t heard of anything horrendous happening during the rodeo.

  “No, no. I’m fine. Rob’s fine. This is just all so strange and I don’t know a soul. I’m just glad to see someone I know.” She released Michelle’s arm.

  “Good. You had me scared for a minute. C’mon down to the barn, I have to see to the horses.”

  Kayla followed her into the barn and perched on a bale i
n the aisle while Michelle looked after the chores.

  “So, what’s up?” Michelle sat on a bale beside Kayla’s. “Are you enjoying the rodeo so far?”

  “I guess. It scares me half to death every time he gets on one of those animals. He just laughs and pats me on the head. Tells me not to worry, he knows what he’s doing.”

  “Well, they’re all insane, you know. You’d have to be to keep getting on a bull show after show. But, to give the devil his due, Rob is good at it and does have a pretty good track record of not getting hurt.”

  “Maybe, but that doesn’t help how I feel. I throw up every time he rides,” Kayla confessed.

  “Does he know that?” Michelle frowned.

  “Not a chance. And you can’t tell him,” she said desperately.

  “Why ever not? If it bothers you that much you should at least tell him. Why do you watch him if you hate it so much?”

  “I can’t tell him. He’ll think I’m a baby. Every time I mention something that even hints at how much it upsets me, he goes on and on about how great you were, and how you were always in the stands cheering him on. I have to watch when he rides, it’s worse not knowing. But even the thought of it makes me want to be sick.”

  “I’m sorry, Kayla. Rob has no business throwing me up in your face. He’s such a dink. Really, though. You need to sit him down and make him listen to you. Maybe after you’ve been around the rodeo for a while you’ll get used to it? But if it’s making you physically sick, that’s just not right.”

  “Thanks, Michelle. Talking to you has helped. I feel better about things now.” Kayla got up. “What about you? Aren’t you worried about getting hurt charging around the track with all those wagons and other horses?” She looked down at her.

  “You don’t have time to be afraid. It’s the biggest rush you could ever imagine, the speed and the thrill, the danger gives it an edge. I’ve never felt anything like it.”

  “Well, I’ll be cheering you on tonight from the bleachers. Rob is supposed to meet me, but I’ve been wandering around for hours and I can’t find him.”

  Michelle got up as well. “Have you tried his cell?”

  “He’s not answering. It’s so frustrating when he does that I could just kill him.” She ground her teeth.

  “Typical.” Michelle snorted. “You can hang around here if you like. Just keep out of the way once the wagons start to roll.”

  “Thanks. If there’s anything I can do to help just let me know.”

  “Michelle Wilson?” A reporter in shiny boots and a brand spanking new straw hat paused in the door of the barn. Her camera man with the large TV camera perched on his shoulder followed her.

  Michelle glanced at Kayla and frowned. “Yeah?” she answered the query. “Can I help you? Are you looking for Rolly?”

  “Oh, good. We’ve found you. No, it’s you I want to talk to.” The woman advanced into the barn. “This is great, Terry. Just set up here with the horses in the back ground. Michelle if you’d just sit on one of the bales?”

  “Okay?” She sat and threw Kayla a bewildered look.

  “No, I don’t like that. The lighting isn’t good. Let’s go outside.” She set off down the aisle, the camera man trailing behind. “Come on please, Michelle.”

  “Why do you want to talk to me?” she followed the reporter more out of curiosity than anything else.

  “We want to do a spotlight interview with you as one of very few women who have competed as outriders in the wagon racing.”

  “What?” Michelle was flabbergasted. “I don’t think so, really. I don’t want to do this.”

  “Please? Billy Melville was supposed to hunt you up and do the interview but he’s still up in the broadcast booth with Tommy. They want to run the spot before or during the evening races.”

  “Oh, go ahead, Michelle. It’ll be fun,” Kayla urged her.

  “I suppose…”

  Her indecision was all encouragement the reporter needed. Before she knew it, the woman had a microphone in Michelle’s face and the camera lights were shining in her eyes. Somehow she managed to come up with intelligent responses to the questions and not come off sounding like an idiot. Kayla grinned and cheered her on from behind the camera man. The reporter wrapped up the interview and the camera lights went out.

  Michelle blinked for a moment. Kayla hugged her. “You did great! I can’t wait to see it later.”

  “This is Kayla Chetwynd,” she said to the reporter who was clearly expecting an introduction to the model pretty woman.

  “Chetwynd?” The reporter’s ears perked up like a hound picking up a scent. “Are you related to Rob Chetwynd?”

  “He’s my husband,” Kayla replied.

  “Husband?” The woman was clearly confused. She glanced at Michelle before going on. “But I thought he was engaged to…” She trailed off, the red of embarrassment staining her cheeks under the TV make up.

  “He was,” Michelle rescued her. “We split and he married Kayla here.”

  “Would you be willing to do a spot for us? What it’s like being married to a champion bull rider. How do you feel watching him climb on those rank bulls?” The reporter took Kayla by the arm and towed her over in front of Rolly’s wagon. The camera lights came to life and before Kayla could protest the woman had launched into her spiel.

  Michelle watched in amusement. With any luck they’d run the spot with Kayla and not her. She had to admit the woman was drop dead gorgeous. She’d look good in a feed sack tied with binder twine.

  Finally, the TV crew left and the group of kids who had gathered to watch swarmed around Kayla. Entranced by the fact she was not only beautiful but also married to Rob Chetwynd.

  Rolly and Karen strolled into view between the barns. Shortly after, Clay and Hal turned up. True to her word, Kayla stayed out of the way. The roar of the crowd and Les McIntyre’s distinctive voice let her follow the outcome of the first heats. The clouds gathered in the west and the sky darkened while they harnessed the team Rolly had decided to hook. Michelle glanced at the sky and said a silent prayer the rain would hold off until after their heat.

  The big grey was her mount for the night. Hopefully the jackass would stand still and not try to trample her tonight. He was unpredictable but he could run like crazy. Once she was on his back all she had to do was find him room to run and let him go. He knew his job, he was just a handful at the start.

  Rolly put his boot on the wheel hub and vaulted into the driver seat. Clay jumped up with him and took the reins for the first pass in front of the grandstand. Michelle waved at Kayla and vaulted onto the grey gelding. He popped his front end, protesting the tight rein, and bounced under her. It was a relief to let him move out a bit as they hit the track. The noise and the commotion of the four wagons taking their practice turns blurred around her. Her nerves were strung tight as the adrenaline surged through her. The gelding picked up on it and fought for his head. Michelle curbed him and jumped down, taking her place behind the wagon with the barrel in her hand. She was trembling so hard she could hardly breathe. Like the horse she just wanted to run. The gelding bumped into her and his breath was hot on the back of her neck. Hal wrestled the lead team to a standstill and they waited.

  The horn went and she lost all coherent thought as she hurled the barrel into the wagon bed. She registered Hal letting the leaders go and leaping onto his horse. The grey lunged and reared, but she was already half on and scrambled the rest of the way without losing any momentum. The barrels flashed by, she allowed herself a moment of satisfaction that they were all still standing. The number two barrel was squashed as she raced by. Bad luck for Chad. The track was open in front of them and the grey lengthened his stride. Around her the press of outrider horses spurred her horse to put on a burst of speed.

  Rolly was running on the rail with two wagons three wide beside him. Hal’s chestnut came even with her and gave her a wild grin. She smiled back, spitting dirt out of her mouth. They flew around the first turn and in
to the back stretch. Hard rain suddenly pelted down stinging her face. The grey gelding squealed as the rain turned to hail. She hid her face in his mane and pulled a set of goggles down over her eyes. The fourth wagon was on the rail a few lengths in front and on the rail. The driver seemed to be trying to pull them up but the wall of rain and hail made it hard to tell.

  The crack of splitting wood was louder than the storm. Michelle straightened up and pulled hard on the gelding’s mouth. The wagon jack knifed wildly and she screamed at the horse to listen to her and pull up a bit. She needed to steer him more to the outside away from the possibility of a wreck. The gelding finally changed course and she breathed a sigh of relief. It turned to a gasp of horror as the wagon lurched off the rail and Carl was pitched out. He landed over the rail in the infield near as she could tell. There was no body under the churning hooves or the wagon wheels.

  One of his outriders pulled behind and made a dive for the back of the wagon. He missed and slid in the mud as she flashed by. She prayed the other riders would be able to miss him. The grey snatched the bit in his teeth and increased his speed again. The driverless horses were running wild and the wagon slewed behind them. The tongue snapped. They were almost to the top of the lane. She glanced around, no one was closer to the leaders than her. Without consciously making a decision, she urged the gelding up beside the wagon. The horses thundered along doing what they were bred to do. The spinning hub was close to the grey’s legs, Michelle didn’t dare ask him to move over anymore. The hoop holding the tarp was tantalizingly close to her hand. If she just reached out, grabbed it and jumped… Inexplicably the grey moved closer to the wagon and Michelle jumped. She hit the seat, half on and half off. Scrambling to her knees she searched for the flying tangle of lines. Not bothering to try and sort the wet leather she wrapped them around her hands, braced her feet against the front of the wagon and hauled for all she was worth. They pounded around the last turn, she lungs burned with the effort and she pulled on the horses harder. Without warning another pair of hands took hold of the reins as well. Together they managed to slow the team to a barely controlled canter. As they crossed in front of the grandstand more outriders caught the leaders and brought them under control.